At first, I was finding the concept of Vengeance to just be a fun, new concept that wasn't worth exploring more of, but now I'm invested. B. J. Novak did an amazing job not only directing, but playing Ben's part so well. The story itself was intriguing and something worth paying attention to, especially the mystery and suspense, but what really sold me was the dialogue. It's rich in thought-provoking talk between the characters, and something that shouldn't be taken for granted. Not to mention the character arc by the end. I'd say while the story itself has a bit of a drag to it, the end is well worth the wait, and I loved it.
Reviews
104 Reviews
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
(2022 TV Special)
Just a Sprinkle for Christmas
2 December 2022
I found The Guardians of the Galaxy Christmas Special to be a treat from James Gunn. It's got everything a Christmas show needs - comedy, heart, festivities. It was definitely different, and had plenty of fun moments, I just wouldn't call it anything extra extravagant either, which is okay because I don't think that was the point. It's always fun to see The Guardians doing their thing, so I was just happy with what I was getting. The story itself was fun, and I loved the introduction of new characters along with the adventure itself. And it got packed in with some fun music, a usual present from James Gunn. This just has me more excited for Guardians Vol. 3 coming soon.
Long Live the King
13 November 2022
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever had me crying within the first 5 minutes. From beginning to end, there's so much raw emotion and power to every scene and word spoken. The comedy was also on point. While some characters needed some more screen time and background, they were still plenty fun, and the big characters all had breathtaking performances. There were so many unbelievable moments that sent spears through my heart, and others that had me grinning from excitement. Letitia Wright as Shuri was so powerful and emotional. Angela Basset as Ramonda had so much energy and strength. Tenoch Huerta as Namor had me so happy to finally see the character on the big screen. His delivery of the character and his action scenes were amazing. I also really didn't know how to feel about Iron Heart being included in the MCU, but I'm now very excited for future projects with Dominique Thorne. I also loved the soundtrack. Ryan Coogler has passed on Chadwick Boseman's legacy beautifully.
He's Back!
5 November 2022
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent encapsulates the very soul of Nicholas Cage. There's a sprinkle of all of his work throughout the movie, and it was very visible he and Pedro Pascal had a blast making this together. I found the scenery to be breathtaking, and the very concept of the movie was something new and exciting. There's plenty of action and thrill, along with heartfelt moments. You can also tell the movie is becoming the screenplay the characters talk about in the movie, which I love. The end had me a little confused at first, but I found it satisfying and interesting all the same. In my opinion, movies like this with other actors would be amazing.
Ingrid Goes West
(2017)
A Very Questionable Movie
3 November 2022
I feel like Ingrid Goes West is a movie that doesn't get talked about enough - and for good reason. I was hoping for a feel-good comedy to cheer me up, but this is what I got instead. That was my mistake. But even without the circumstances I was watching the movie for, it just doesn't stand well. I feel like there's nothing to it. The plot is so straightforward yet shaky. Like every character was made to annoy me to death. I was so uncomfortable watching this movie, and what hurts most is how this could actually happen to someone. The end had something beautiful going but I still found it to be so out of place. I just can't stand by this movie. Maybe a rewatch would change that, but I'm not a fan right now. The only real upsides are the amazing acting performances, the visuals, and the mental health advocation. Outside of that, nothing really holds this movie together in my opinion.
The Bad Guys
(2022)
The Bad Guys Felt Good to Watch
31 October 2022
The Bad Guys was a bit of a treat. The animation style is fun and new, more like an animated painting than a drawing. There's plenty of action, and the comedy is on point pretty much every time, even for people who aren't kids. Each character gets the spotlight and shines through really well, and you get plenty of time with each. There's so many plot twists, which I feel like it was a little overwhelming, but it made the movie fun and surprising anyway. And while it was pretty predictable in some cases, I still found some things to be pretty fun and exciting. I definitely won't mind watching it again.
The Peanut Butter Falcon
(2019)
A Heartwarming Watch
31 October 2022
I think The Peanut Butter Falcon is a special treat for those who happen to discover it. It's a movie I enjoy thoroughly every time I watch it, and it definitely deserves more praise. If Mark Twain were a movie director today, this would be his movie. I love the old southern style it has, regardless of the fact that it's based on modern times. All of the acting is so well done and helps the movie wonderfully. The story itself is a little farfetched, but so much fun and sweet nonetheless. The end is one I've grown to appreciate over time too. For those looking for a movie that'll warm their hearts, this one is a perfect pick.
Elysium
(I) (2013)
I Love it Every Time I Watch It
23 October 2022
I have found Elysium to be a very underrated movie over the past few years and I genuinely wish that wasn't the case. It's gritty and heartfelt. While I do wish the pacing was changed from a quick story that feels like there isn't much to tell when there definitely is, to a longer movie that takes its time to introduce everyone, I still find it a great movie. And in a way, it's fine where it is. I've watched it multiple times and still enjoy it. The action is amazing, and there's so many cool things to marvel at. The relationships between the characters and the portrayal of those characters are on point. The visuals are great. And the ending is beautiful. I wish there were more installments to this movie but I love it. Hopefully it gets the recognition it deserves as time moves on.
Entergalactic
(2022)
The Real World in Animation
21 October 2022
Entergalactic is a visual masterpiece through and through. For those of us who want new, unique styles of animation, this movie fills that need exponentially. I genuinely hope and NEED more movies with this animation style, and Netflix better pay up. It's breathtaking and fun to watch. I can't say I stand by the storyline as much, because it's honestly a little slow and visibly dependable on the animation, but I'm okay with it. I found myself enjoying the romance, the humor is on point, and the drama is kind of lacking but tense nonetheless. I never knew how interesting it would be to have this cast ensemble but it worked out really well and Kid Cudi's voice acting AND music was amazing. Netflix needs more of these on their roster.
Bullet Train
(2022)
All Aboard the Thrill Ride of the Year
21 October 2022
I had a blast watching Bullet Train. The intensity is enough to get anyone locked into their seat, scared for the next move. The buildup of a thrill ride is strong and captivating. There's so many cameos, and the movie includes such an amazing cast. I couldn't be happier with each performance. And even though we're getting these pieces of the puzzle and think we know how the mystery is going throughout, it was a major shock to see how the big twist goes down. I couldn't believe all of these minor pieces would fit into such a huge frame. And let's not forget the perfect humor that was very unique but fun nonetheless. There are some corny scenes, but I could look past them pretty easily, because the thrill, mystery, comedy, and visuals make up for it. One plot point in particular I'd like to point out is a species of snake that's pretty key to the movie. It makes no sense to those out there who understand snakes, but it's just a fun addition for those who might not understand what they're seeing. I'd love to see a sequel, and really hope to see one in the future. This movie has some pretty good potential to become a classic.
The Perfect Conclusion to a Perfect Trilogy
10 October 2022
A perfect end to a perfect trilogy, Return of the King left me in awe, sadness, joy, and every emotion in between. Even with a 4 and a half hour watch with the extended edition, there's so much to enjoy, just like the other two. The battles are epic, never missing suspense or a feeling of power. The romance is sweet and warm. The dialogue is smooth and empowering. From start to finish, you're so on the edge of your seat, waiting for the final scene, and enjoying every minute on the way. The continuation of the epic pull between good and evil is ever present. And the end is so emotional and sad, but rewarding nonetheless. Peter Jackson made a masterpiece.
Werewolf by Night
(2022 TV Movie)
Marvel's Making Hits
9 October 2022
I can't believe Werewolf by Night was as good as it was. When I saw the usual Marvel hype, I was expecting just another addition to Marvel, but this was so much more. I'm so glad we got another installment of Marvel horror, and I'd love to see more. It wasn't very scary, but still left a sense of unease and that "sitting on the edge of my seat" feeling. The acting was done amazingly, and the fights were every bit of intense and gory. And for a mostly black and white show, the visuals were still on point. I wish it wasn't a special presentation, but an actual movie, because there's so much that could've been done. It was extremely creative and included plenty of new characters to love. I hope to see more of it and other special presentations in the future, because if they're anything like this, we're in for plenty of treats.
Another Great Addition to a Perfect Trilogy
9 October 2022
The Two Towers is another movie I really don't mind the extended version of. 4 hours of amazing dialogue, fights, and storytelling that I love so so much. There's so many memorable scenes, and nothing to complain about. While I do find it a little odd that Frodo isn't included as much in this, he still has his key moments and the movie's still full of amazing scenes. The visuals are really something I enjoy, with plenty of places that look some kind of cool. I can't get enough of the strong, visible pulls between good and evil that hammer each other back and forth, and it leaves this feel of giddiness when something good happens. This is just another great addition to Peter Jackson's perfect trilogy.
Middle Earth is a Place to Marvel
3 October 2022
It's just hard to complain about Fellowship of the Ring. Even the time isn't something I'm mad about, regardless of the fact that I watched the extended cut. There's just so much poise and beauty to this movie, even for one that didn't come from a time of great CGI and VFX that we have now. Peter Jackson did an outstanding job with this movie to the most minute detail. Every acting job is done amazingly, and I love every bit of it. One thing I found really interesting was the way humans are portrayed as these greedy people who are hard to manage, compared to such elegant and fun creatures across the Middle Earth. They really make our human conditions shine. From start to finish, there's so many layers of amazing things, and it just brings a smile to my face while watching. The action is sprinkled throughout in a good manner too. I just love Lord of the Rings.
Spirited Away
(2001)
One of the Best Anime Movies to Exist
2 October 2022
One of my favorite anime movies, Spirited Away feels like a fever dream that I never want to wake up from. It's so rich with nostalgic feelings and it makes me want to be kid with crazy dreams again. I love the artwork, and every character has such a cool look. There's so many fun, lovable characters, and they make it even easier to slip into the movie. While a couple things left me a little puzzled, that doesn't stop it from being a great movie, and it's just as good on rewatch. There's so much going on in 2 hours, so the movie feels longer, but it's executed in a way that doesn't make me feel bothered at all. Studio Ghibli made a masterpiece that deserves to be watched by everyone around the world. It's a perfect introduction for people who want to try out anime, and definitely one of the first recommend when the topic comes up.
Death on the Nile
(2022)
Mediocre, but not Horrible
28 September 2022
I originally thought Murder on the Orient Express didn't need a sequel, seeing how it was a pretty mediocre movie, and while Death on the Nile matched that energy, it was still fun nonetheless. Every actor plays their parts carefully and with elegance, with Kenneth Branagh taking home the cake again. The tone was set wonderfully, the visuals were sometimes really terrible, while other times amazing, and the sense of mystery is in the air. I will say that the mystery itself is pretty bland. There just wasn't much to it, and while the end result was surprising and pretty satisfying for the storyline, I found it to be a slow draw. The entire story was pretty slow, taking forever to even start. It still had plenty of layers and depth, while not strong or extremely groundbreaking, it was still fine where it was. I'd say an entire franchise of these would be fine if the next ones were crafted a little more carefully.
Morbius
(2022)
So Forgettable - Coming from A Comic Book Movie Fan
27 September 2022
Morbius lacked so much depth, and practically fought for its life just to have some. The dynamics between Jared Leto's Morbius and Matt Smith's Milo was just boring and unnecessary. To be honest though, most of the movie was unnecessary. It was a cool idea, but it was boring, and aside from a few cool scenes, it's completely forgettable. There's so much to keep up with and so much that doesn't make sense, so it's just killing itself from scene to scene. The after credits were rough, and let in some pretty big potholes. The fight scenes are messy, and while creative, definitely not outstanding. And the character deaths that were included to make the story more interesting were stupid and angering. This entire movie was just a mess. If there ever is a second one, there's gonna be quite a bit to clean up.
Interstellar
(2014)
Visually Stunning and New Take on Space
22 September 2022
Interstellar has a lot to pack in an almost three hour runtime. There's a lingering anxiety throughout the entire movie, creating such an engulfing desire to make sure Matthew McConaughey gets back home for the watchers. That's an amazing feeling for Christopher Nolan to create, and I love that it worked. This entire movie is a race against time, with plenty of science and technical ideas backing it up, and while it may be hard to keep up with, a rewatch or two clears every foggy thought up. Not to mention some of the best visuals in cinematic history are right there to watch. Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain add to an incredible performance, and stick out from an already amazing cast. While the end did leave me a little upset, and honestly perplexed, it ends with an appropriate ending nonetheless. There's plenty of great quotes that come out of it as well. I'd say this is one of Nolan's best works.
The Batman
(2022)
A New Take We Needed
19 September 2022
The Batman was an amazing new take on Batman and I loved it. We all had our doubts for Robert Pattinson playing the caped vigilante but he pulled it off in a way that shook my core. The suspense and thrill ride was epic and entangling, plus the element of mystery for a Batman movie was something I am so happy to have. The action is something exciting and new. Paul Dano as Riddler was chilling and he did a great job as a psychopath. I also really enjoyed Colin Ferrel's transformation into Penguin, Jeffrey Wright's take on Commissioner Gordon, Andy Serkis' Alfred, and John Turturro's Carmine Falcone. I feel like I'm in a select few who couldn't stand Zoe Kravitz's Cat Woman. There is no way that people still talk like that. It drove me insane. She was just annoying all around. I wouldn't mind seeing her and Batman together again, but I just didn't enjoy it. I also hope to see Lucious Fox in the future. Aside from that, I loved it, and the ending was great. I hope to see more soon.
Elvis
(2022)
Austin Butler Rocked the King of Rock
4 September 2022
I'm going out of the gate saying Elvis was way too long. Nearly 3 hours of Elvis' struggle between him and his contractor was quite a stretch. It does paint a pretty good picture of how screwed up his situation was, and it honestly breaks my heart that it even happened, but I just struggled through the time. The beginning kind of hit the ground running, which made sense in a way, as it was trying to set the tone, but I don't think it was necessary, especially because there's a repeat of that near the end. But in all honesty, that's the only negative. Austin Butler rocked every single second. He's clearly giving his everything and I'd call it an Oscar-Winner without a doubt. He became Elvis Presley. And the same goes for Tom Hanks as Colonel Tom. The story itself was great, and quite a few scenes were nothing but power and left a pretty big smile on my face. As a music and movie nerd, my needs were met in every aspect possible. The soundtrack was phenomenal, and Austin Butler's singing for Elvis was fantastic. Getting to see Elvis' life unfold in the way that it did was hitting the heart nerves in every way intended. There's quite a few scenes that made me want to cry, while others made me hyped. So time and wild beginning aside, this movie is definitely one of my favorites of 2022.
Ms. Marvel
(2022)
Ms. Marvel is Something to be Excited For
2 September 2022
Ms. Marvel was another great teenage depiction from Marvel. It gives off all of the teenager vibes in all the right ways. The Pakistani representation was strong, and I loved every bit of it. There were so many heartwarming scenes, and everything put together made a masterpiece. I'm extremely excited for more in the future. Every character was had great acting put into them. The visuals were great, especially for a show with a lower budget than movies. I will say that there's a couple of scenes that felt way too long, but they were part of the puzzle, so they can't be complained about but so much. The final episode was spectacular. I can't wait for more Kamala Khan in the future.
The Black Phone
(2021)
Nobody Made Dumb Decisions
25 August 2022
The suspense in The Black Phone is something that kept me on edge the entire time. The beginning was perfect, because of the way it creates suspense while taking its time to get to the moment we all know is coming. We get a good dive into each character before things really go off the rails. Every person was portrayed so nicely, and the 1978 feel was great. I was pretty confused with some of the scenes, but the pieces quickly came together, so I won't complain about that. Ethan Hawke chilled every bone in my body as a scary kidnapper. And while a couple spots dragged on a little longer than I'd liked, I wasn't bored regardless. The end was really satisfying, but I got to say that one character got straight up disrespected, which was a bummer, even though I saw it coming. The movie was great nonetheless, and while I wouldn't call it extremely grand, I enjoyed it anyway.
The Lost City
(2022)
It's More than an Adventure Movie
21 August 2022
I found The Lost City to be just a fun sit down for a couple hours. I feel like we've been getting quite a few "treasure hunt" movies lately, and while it was better than Uncharted, it definitely wasn't a Raiders of the Lost Ark. It played its romance cards well, and while some scenes felt a little embarrassing to watch, none were unbearable. I never thought I'd see Sandra Bullock play a character like Loretta Sage, but she managed to a really good job. Same with Channing Tatum as Dash. Bradd Pitt, Daniel Radcliffe, and Oscar Nunez were all fun additions, and I loved how they fit this movie so well. The comedy was very much a hit or miss, with some of it being very dull and hard to laugh at, while other bits were hilarious. I found it really weird that some jokes were reused or had another shot taken at them, but it was good nonetheless. The adventure itself is fun, but felt a little long. But in a way that lets the scenes sink in a little better. I'd say all in all, this movie is definitely one I wouldn't mind watching again.
Not Strong, But Good Nonetheless
14 August 2022
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom doesn't quite live up to Jurassic World, but there's quite a few epic visuals that make it fun to watch regardless. Like the first, there's quite a lot of scene bouncing, with each scene going a little too fast or feeling way too slow, and it makes me wish the movie was longer so the scenes could play well. Most of the comedy was pretty dry, but it was still funny throughout. There's not enough depth to the movie, and it's something I can just watch while my brain's shut off. But the idea was so grand and the execution was pretty good nonetheless, so I won't complain a whole lot. I did really enjoy all the new dinosaurs, and I was happy we got such a nice, new variety. The beginning was a little stronger than the end, with the end feeling like there wasn't enough writing to keep it alive. The "big twist" was a little too predictable and wasn't strong, but was a twist nonetheless. The very end did have some pretty cool dinosaur scenes, but that didn't revive a good portion of the time before it. I'd say this movie was good, but lacked a necessary storyline, making it feel like a necessary part of the puzzle that was a little boring to watch. It was still plenty fun though.
Jurassic World
(2015)
Not Perfect, But Still a Great Reintroduction
13 August 2022
Jurassic World was a great reintroduction to the Jurassic Park series for a newer generation. It's by no means perfect, but with a little too much scene bouncing, but I loved it nonetheless. The scenes are still fun, and quite a few pay good tribute to the original Jurassic Park, but they're all just a little too short. It's the first and only movie I'd ever seen in theaters twice, because it filled my childhood needs. The dinosaurs are outstanding, reviving the original velociraptors with a newer pattern, making up for the Jurassic Park III atrocity. All the characters are fun and serve their purpose, and every actor fit their role perfectly. The comedy even lands when it's included. The end battle still gives me chills, and there's a handful of iconic scenes for cinematic history. So, while this movie isn't outstanding on the storytelling level, I still love it and there's plenty to make up for it.
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